Catherine Ashton, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, will travel to the Western Balkans next week. She will be in the region for a joint visit with the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The first stop of the joint visit will be Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Tuesday, 30 October. HRVP Ashton and Secretary Clinton will meet the BiH Presidency in order to express support for the European perspective of the single, united and sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina. They will also urge the leaders to address the pressing challenges and reforms, including in economy, job creation and the rule of law.

On Wednesday, 31 October, HRVP Ashton and Secretary Clinton will visit Belgrade and Pristina. In Serbia they are scheduled to meet President Nikolić and Prime Minister Dačić, in Kosovo they will meet President Jahjaga and Prime Minister Thaçi.

HRVP Ashton and Secretary Clinton will express support for the dialogue for the normalisation of relations: the EU-facilitated dialogue is in the interest of both sides, its objective is to improve the lives of people, help solve problems and bring Serbia and Kosovo closer to the EU.